Hyperspectral Data

Hyperspectral imaging is an advanced imaging technique that measures visible and near-infrared light reflecting off the Earth’s surface. Researchers use hyperspectral imaging spectrometer data to identify and characterize mineral deposits, vegetation, and other land surface features.

In 2007, USGS scientists acquired airborne hyperspectral data for most of Afghanistan as part of the USGS Oil and Natural Gas Resources Project assessment of earthquake hazards and natural resources, including coal, water, and mineral deposits. The team used the HyMap imaging spectrometer, which measures 128 channels of reflected sunlight at wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 microns, to collect over 200 flight lines worth of data that covered 438,012 square kilometers of the Afghan landscape. The resulting dataset includes more than 800,000,000 pixels of hyperspectral data.

In July 2012, the Hyperspectral Data team released two surface materials maps of Afghanistan that were created using the HyMap data and produced in partnership with the Afghan Geological Survey and TFBSO. One of the maps shows the spatial distribution of carbonates, phyllosilicates, sulfates, altered minerals, and other materials with diagnostic absorption features in the shortwave infrared wavelengths. The second map shows the spatial distribution of iron-bearing minerals and other materials with diagnostic absorptions at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. These maps represent a milestone in the use of hyperspectral imaging data, as Afghanistan is the first country to be almost completely mapped using HyMap technology. Both maps are available as free downloads (see below).

The hyperspectral surface materials maps were subset from the whole country to a quadrangle map series. These are the most recent addition to a series of U.S. Geological Survey/Afghanistan Geological Survey 1:250,000-scale quadrangle maps covering Afghanistan.

The hyperspectral surface materials maps of Afghanistan are available here.